Stocking and method for affixing an adhesive transfer thereto



June 17, 1952 M. J. GORDON 2,601,115

STOCKING AND METHOD FOR AFFIXING AN ADHESIVE TRANSFER THERETO Filed Aug. 15, 1951 FIG.1

HVVENTDR.

Melvin 1 Her on BY Patented June 17, 1952 STOCKING AND METHOD FOR AFFIXING AN ADHESIVE TRANSFER THERETO Melvin J. Gordon, Brookline, Mass, assignor to Melvin J. Gordon, Sadye Z. Gordon, and Natalie G. Stone, doing business as Manchester Hosiery Mills, Manchester, N. H.

Application August 15, 1951, Serial No. 241,990

The present invention relates to a method for afiixing adhesive transfers and to a, construction wherein an initial or insignia is applied to a portion of a stocking and more particularly to affixing an initial or the equivalent of a monogram to sheer hosiery such as are usually worn by women.

The sale of monogrammed hosiery has not been a particular commercial success for several reasons. This has been tried among other ways by hand painting, which, though attractive, takes time and skill and is expensive. Another method which has been tried is to have the manufacturer knit the monogram into the fabric which requires the retailer to carry an abnormally large stock in each size of hose in order to satisfy a demand for any one of th twenty-six letters. Other methods which have been tried have also proved unsatisfactory. Affixing a -monogram shaped from a material such as metal or plastic is unpopular because it is apt to tear and catch the stocking. These difficulties are overcome in the method presented by the present invention for afiixing monograms or insignia to a stocking at th time of sale to the consumer. In this method a transfer monogram which is mounted on a geometrically shaped sheet of material is transferred to a small area of a desired shape of the stocking which has been reinforced to receive the particular transfers. This may be effected by a dry adhesive but preferably i applied with a hot iron. Guide lines on the reverse side of the-transfer aid the clerk to position correctly the monogram on the reinforced section. Attempts to afiix the monogram to the sheer portions of th stocking have been unsuccessful since the threads are so thin in contrast with the open space between them that the color attaching to the threads appear faint in comparison with th open background and therefore the appearance of the monogram is very poor. This is overcome in the present inventionby transferring the monogram to a reinforced section of the stocking where the knitting has purposely been made heavy and will give a fuller surface to which th monogram coloring may continuously and uniformly attach. This method for monogramming which may be quickly and efficiently done at the time of the retail sale, will permit the retailer to carry in stock his normal supply of hosiery with the addition of a supply of monogram and insignia transfers.

These and other advantages will be more readily observed when considered in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

8 Claims. (CI. 41-34) Figure 1 shows a stocking with a monogram imprinted on a reinforced portion according to the present invention.

Figures .2, 3, 4 and 6 are views of the upper face .of different monogram transfers.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a sheer section of a stocking with a knitted reinforced section on which a monogram has been transferred.

In this invention as illustrated in Figure 1, a transfer is applied to a reinforced geometrically shaped area 3 on the sheer part of the stocking I. The main body of the stocking may be knitted from silk, nylon, rayon or similar yarns 5 which may b of any desired denier conveniently used in producing ladies sheer stockings. The small reinforced section 3 is purposely knitted into 21, normal sheer portion of the stocking. This reinforced section 3 should show in the normal wear of the stocking and is preferably positioned somewhere about the ankle or instep region above the shoe line. a

Figure 1 shows a reinforced section 3 of the stocking which is diamond in shape over which the transfer 2 has been applied. However any other geometric form such as rectangles, circles or ovals, which are attractive to the eye may be used.

This geometric design is formed by reinforcing the yarn courses with additional threads in the usual manner so that the geometric design has a composite strand of a heavier denier. The denier of the yarn of the reinforced section should be somewhere from 50'to 70, preferably from to 70, but may vary depending upon the closeness of the knit of the stitch. Thus if the stocking is knit with a greater number of stitches to the inch, the yarn in the reinforced section may be relatively lighter. Whatever the size, stitch and denier that is used, it is essential that those threads which are dyed by the monogram transfer be close enough together and be of sufiicient size to give an illusion of a solid color regardless of the spaces between the stitches.

I have found that in the ordinary sheer ladies stockings of silk, nylon, etc., that if the 15 or 20 denier sheer portions be reinforced with an additional thread of 50 to 7D denier that the area of the reinforcement will be sufliciently full of material to show the transfer clearly. This is illus-.

trated in Figure 5 where the threads 4 of the reinforced area 3 have been knit into the threads 5 of the stocking I. Some of the threads of the reinforced section 3 are shown impregnated by the dye 6 from the transfer. In applying this monogram to the stocking a transfer such as is shown in the figures may be used. These transfers are prepared by printing a dye G in th reverse form of a letter onto one side of a card or paper. This dye should be transferable from the paper to the stocking by application of heat, pressure or other means. If transfer by heat is used, the transfer should be On a thin paper so that the heat will penetrate the paper and act on the dye a quickly as possible. Since the dye is transferred by direct contact with the yarn of the stocking, the dye forming each letter must be deposited on the transfer paper in reverse fashion.

In Figures 2, 3, i and 6, various forms of the transfer sheets are shown on which monogram initials or insignia are placed as has been previously mentioned.

In Figure 2 a sheet of paper or other thin material 8 has deposited on it the dye 6 forming the insignia. This may be the usual type of transfer which can be transferred by heat, pressure or other suitable means. The insignia in this case is plac ed on the side of the sheet 8 which will come in contact with the hosiery.

In order to aid in lining the transfer with the reinforced area, the transfer may be cut to a smaller size than the reinforcement and may be on the side opposite the side having the dye for lines 9, 9, 9, 9, which will coincide with theedges ,of the reinforcement. When therefore the clerk places a transfer on a reinforcing area, he will simply line up the ends of the lines 9 with the ed es of the reinforcement in which case the letter or insignia will be properly centered at the center of the reinforced area.

"In Figure 2 the transfer sheet will be shorter and narrower respectively than the vertical and horizontal diagonals of the reinforced area and the lines 9 will coincide with the sides of the reinforced area when the transfer sheet is superimposed on the reinforced area.

Where a square shaped reinforcement is made in the stocking, the transfer shown in Figure 3 may be used. In this case the dyed monogram or insignia 6 will be centered within the inner guide lines I0, is, which are of course on the side of the transfer sheet not intended to be in contact with the stocking. These guide lines 10, I0, should coincide with the edges of the reinforcement frame. When therefore the clerk place the transfer of Figure 3 on the hosiery, he will line the'edges Iii with the edges of the reinforcement, in which case the insignia 6 will be in the correct position.

The arrangement of the transfer shown in Figure'l is intended to be used with a substantially circular reinforcement area. In this case the curved corner lines I l, H, i l, II, will coincide with the rest of the circular edge of the reinforcement and since the insignia is positioned at the" center of the circle, the dye will be deposited in'the center of the reinforced section. In the t'ran'sferof the insigna to the stocking, it is sometimes desirable to hold thetransfer in place while the transfer is being applied, particularly in the case'where a hot iron is used. In such cases the transfer member may be provided with a tab |2,

. as shown in Figured, at its side or corner or the sideand' the transfer may be extended outwards eitherdirecticn as indicated by l3 in Figure 6, so to permit a finger grip for holding the transfer when the iron is applied.

'If"dsired'the letter or monogram may be printedon the opposite side ofthe transfer from thatwhich comes in contact with the stocking as well as on the stocking side for the purpose of additional aid in centering.

The insignia or monogram which i to be applied to the stocking should be sufficiently prominent so that it is visible at such a distance at which other characteristic features of the stockin are noticed. Such a distance is normally between five and fifteen feet, and it has been found that the present purpose will be well served where the dimensions of the reinforced area are approximately one inch in any direction and the monogram or insignia is centrally positioned in the reinforced area for a dimension approximately one-half the linear dimension of the area or greater.

A monogrammed letter or insignia one-half inch to three-quarters of an inch in size is practical and provides a definite attractiveness when centrally placed in the reinforced area which may be positioned either at the front or on the side of the stocking in the vicinity of the instep, ankle or just above this region.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. In a knitted womans sheer stocking, a small reinforced area in the stocking above the region normally covered by the shoe and in the normal visible portion when worn by an individual, said reinforced area comprising a selected pattern reinforced with threads additional to the sheer threads of the stocking having a denier of substantially 50 and higher and a permanent insignia transferred thereon consisting of a dye impressed upon the outer surface of the thread within the reinforced area.

2. In a knitted womans sheer stocking, a small reinforced area in the stocking above the region normally covered by the shoe and in the normal visible portion when worn by an individual, said reinforced area comprising a selected pattern reinforced with threads additional to the sheer threads of the stocking having a denier of substantially 50 to 70, and a permanent insignia transferred thereon consisting of a dye impressed upon the outer surface of the thread within the reinforced area.

3. In a knitted womans sheer stocking, a small reinforced area having a geometrical pattern in the region about the ankle above the normal line of the shoe, said area being large enough to receive an insignia normally visible at a distance at which the character of the stocking would be noticed, said area being reinforced with threads additional to the sheer threads of the stocking having a denier of substantially 50 to '70 and a permanent insignia transferred thereon consisting of a dye impressed upon the outer surface of the thread within the reinforced area.

,4. In a knitted womans sheer stocking, a small diamond-shaped reinforced area in the stocking above the region normally covered by the shoe and in the normal visible portion when worn by an individual, said diamond-shaped reinforced area comprising a selected pattern reinforced with threads additional to the sheer threads of the stocking having a denier of substantially 50 and higher and a permanent insignia transferred thereon consisting of a dye impressed upon the outer surface of the thread within the reinforced area.

5. A method of applying a letter to a sheer stocking which comprises first providing a reinforced area having a geometric pattern with additional threads of a denier of 50 or higher in a region normally visible to the eye when the stocking is worn applying to said reinforced area a transfer sheet having a letter formed of dye material deposited on one face of the sheet and a series of guide lines on the opposite face adapted to be aligned with the corresponding edges of the geometric pattern whereby when said guide lines are aligned the letter will be properly 10- cated on the geometric pattern and thereafter causing the letter to be transferred from the transfer sheet to the reinforced area of the stocking.

6. A method of applying a letter to a sheer stocking which comprises first providing a reinforced area having a geometric pattern with additional threads of a denier of 50 or higher in a region normally visible to the eye when the stocking is worn applying to said reinforced area a transfer sheet having a letter formed of dye material deposited on one face of the sheet and a series of guide lines on the opposite face running to the edges of the transfer sheet and adapted to be aligned with the corresponding edges of the geometric pattern whereby when said guide lines are aligned the letter will be properly located on the geometric pattern and thereafter causing the letter to be transferred from the transfer sheet to the reinforced area of the stocking.

7. A method of applying a letter to a sheer stocking which comprises first providing a reinforced area having a geometric pattern with additional threads of a denier of 50 or higher in a region normally visible to the eye when the stocking is worn applying to said reinforced area a transfer sheet having a letter formed of dye material deposited on one face of the sheet and a series of guide lines on the opposite face adapted to be aligned with the corresponding edges of the geometric pattern where the edge of the reinforced area appears beyond the sheet where- 6 by when said guide lines are aligned the letter will be properly located on the geometric pattern and thereafter causing the letter to be trans ferred from the transfer sheet to the reinforced area of the stocking.

8. A method of applying a letter to a sheer stocking which comprises first providing a reinforced area having a geometric pattern with ad ditional threads of a denier of 50 or higher in a region normally visible to the eye when the stocking is worn applying to said reinforced area a transfer sheet, securing said transfer sheet by manually holding a portion extending beyond the reinforced area, to said reinforced area, said transfer sheet having a letter formed of dye material deposited on one face of the sheet and a series of guide lines on the opposite face adapted to be aligned with the corresponding edges of the geometric pattern whereby when said guide lines are aligned the letter will be properly located on the geometric pattern and thereafter causing the letter to be transferred from the transfer sheet to the reinforced area of the stocking.

MELVIN J. GORDON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,140,975 Frankel May 25, 1915 1,300,592 Essig Apr. 15, 1919 2,500,759 Largman Mar. 14, 1950 2,501,539 Ruth Mar. 21, 1950 2,536,420 Burdick Jan. 2, 1951 2,569,398 Burd et al. Sept. 25, 1951 2,587,796 Whitehouse et al. Mar. 4, 1952 

